


HERO TV Special

by Smile_Edgeworth



Category: Tiger & Bunny
Genre: Announcements, Coming Out, Established Relationship, Heteronormativity, Interviews, M/M, Oblivious Mario, Post-The Rising
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-17 16:15:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29595408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Smile_Edgeworth/pseuds/Smile_Edgeworth
Summary: Mario has two special guests in tonight's live show. However, he's not ready to what Tiger & Barnaby are going to say.
Relationships: Barnaby "Bunny" Brooks Jr./Kaburagi T. Kotetsu
Comments: 10
Kudos: 55





	HERO TV Special

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I watched Tiger&Bunny for the first time about 3 months ago, and since then I consumed pretty much every canon extra content I could find, so I hope I managed to get the characters' voices and the tone of the series right!
> 
> Note: in this fan-fiction there are spoilers from the end of the movie The Rising, so be careful if you haven't watched it.
> 
> This story is canon compliant for now, but we don't know anything about season 2 plot, so it's possible it will have contradictions someday. Anyway, I hope you'll like it! :D

Mario feels confident as they go on air. He stands in front of the cameras, thinking about the ratings. He has reason to believe this evening’s show will be a success.

“Welcome to Hero TV Special!”

In front of him, the audience inside the wide studio applauds.

“This isn’t the first time I start with this line, but there’s no better way tonight! For the 22 million citizens of Sternbild, the wait is now over. Here is the first guest of the show!” He spreads his arms. “The veteran member of the Hero world’s super tag team! Wild Tiger!”

A light from the ceiling turns on over the guest, who waves his hand. He’s wearing a black suit with a green shirt and a tie; his face is half-covered by his usual domino mask.

The celebratory music fills the studio as Mario approaches the hero to shake his hand. _Oh, I see Tiger was actually on vacation_ , he thinks. The contrast between their skin colors has always been visible, but today it’s even more evident. Wherever Wild Tiger was in the last two weeks, it had to be a rather sunny place.

The commercials start, and off air everyone gets ready for the interview. Mario sits down behind his usual desk, Tiger on the closest empty seat for the guests. Next to him, there’s another armchair for his partner. Mario thinks it’s a shame the popular duo can’t be together from the start, but like everyone else in his work field, he’s aware that Barnaby’s schedule is almost the same as a popular actor’s. They should be glad he will appear in tonight’s show as soon as possible.

When the last advertisement is over, Mario starts his speech, while a big screen in the background shows a montage of the guest during his previous missions. “Wild Tiger 1Minute, the veteran hero who never gives up, last year made an incredible comeback to stop the criminal Andrew Scott, who was even supported by Lunatic!” On the screen, the last fight from Justice Day appears. “After their reunion, Tiger & Barnaby have once again become the inseparable partners we all know, and they’re now ready for another year in the First League!”

Everyone in the studio claps.

Wild Tiger waves again. “Thank you! It’s great to be back!”

Mario smiles. “Now, before the interview starts, remember that all of you in the studio and at home can use our tag _#HeroTVSpecialTigerBarnaby_ to post your questions for tonight’s guests! We’ll show them on the screen behind us and read some of them live! Now that he’s here, please don’t miss this opportunity to ask Wild Tiger anything you’d like to know!”

“I’ll do my best to answer,” Tiger says, looking at the announcer. “Now that I think about it, it’s been a while since I’ve been in this studio.”

“That’s right. It’s great to see you again! You and Barnaby haven’t been around for two entire weeks. It’s very unusual, isn’t it?”

“Yeah…” Tiger lifts a finger to rub the side of his cheek; Mario finds it hard to read his expression behind his mask. “Usually, a hero never has days off. Even when we’re free, we must always be ready if they call us.” Tiger shows his white and green bracelet. “See? I always wear this, even when I’m not working.”

Mario nods. “But you haven’t worn it in the last two weeks, right?”

Tiger shows an apologetic smile. “Ah, I guess I didn’t…”

“So, let’s start with you fans’ questions!” Mario picks up his tablet. “In their post, @wildcat43 writes: ‘Hello, Tiger! Welcome back! We missed you! You look very suntanned… Where have you been on vacation?’”

Even with the top of his cheeks covered, it’s clear the hero is blushing. “Oh, well, thank you!” He stops, like someone who’s trying to think about what to say next. Mario is surprised; in the years he’s worked as Hero TV announcer, he has never seen Wild Tiger pondering on his answers. Usually, he just blurted out whatever came to his mind, and got scolded by his superiors when it was too late. “I can’t really say much, but I went to a very nice beach near the equator, where nobody knew about the heroes in Sternbild. I swam a lot, I had a lot of fun! Well, except for my back…”

“Oh? What happened to your back?” Mario asks, concerned.

“Well, you know, it was my first time in such a sunny place, and I thought my skin was going to be fine! I never sunburn here!” He chuckles.

“I see. So you didn’t use sunscreen?”

“Well, the first day I didn’t. I heard it was highly recommended, but I was too lazy to listen.”

“So you learned your lesson the hard way.”

“Exactly. And it was bad. I’m never doing that again.” He looks at the closest camera. “Remember, lotion is important to protect your skin! If someone who cares about you tells you to put sunscreen on, please listen to them. They’re saying it for you sake!”

“Is it what happened to you?”

“Yeah…” He mumbles. “Got scolded a lot after my skin turned all red, too.”

“Well, it looks like you had fun anyway, right? And now you’re back, ready to protect the city!”

“Of course! I can’t wait for my first call!” Tiger’s eyes widen, probably as he realizes the implications of his own words. “Wait, I didn’t mean I want an accident to happen! But if someone’s in danger, I’ll be there with a Wild Roar!”

The people in the studio laugh.

“We’re getting interesting questions for you,” Mario continues, his eyes on the screen. “Oh, this is something I didn’t notice myself! Your fan @mary.n.p asks: ‘Mr. Tiger, are you wearing a new ring? The one you used to wear was silver, but now it looks golden! Is it a new fashion accessory?’”

Tiger looks at his left hand, lost in thought.

Mario raises an eyebrow. _He’s really thinking hard for his standards, isn’t he?_

Finally, the hero speaks. “Um, well. The ring I used to wear embodies very precious memories of my life, and I treasure it in my home along with other mementos from my past. About this new ring, er… You could say this is an important part of my present, and hopefully my future.” He grins. “I just said something really cool, didn’t I?”

“You can say so!” _Honestly, not really. Why do you always ruin everything with that line?_ “However, you didn’t actually answer your fan’s question: is it a fashion accessory?”

“That’s, um, an interesting interpretation, I guess…”

 _He doesn’t want to say it?_ “You’re getting a lot of questions on the matter! @Iloveitwild asks: ‘Is it a wedding band? Did you get married?’”

“That’s an interesting interpretation…”

“And @sara123 says: ‘You were on your honeymoon!’”

“I… Hey, this isn’t a question…!” Tiger definitely looks like he’s having a hard time replying.

But like a lot of times during his job as a hero, a certain young man appears to save him from the trouble.

Mario smiles. Their second guest is finally here.

🐯🐰

Barnaby Brooks Jr. enters after the commercial. His clothes are matching his partner’s, a red shirt with a black suit. The celebratory music starts again, and Mario stands up to shake the new guest’s hand. This is when once again he notices something different. As a redhead and a blond person respectively, Mario and Barnaby have a rather similar pale skin; however, tonight the hero’s tone is slightly darker. _Was he on vacation too? No way, now I’m jealous._

The audience – mostly composed of girls – applauds and cheers the new guest.

Barnaby smiles and lifts two fingers for his usual greeting. “Heh.”

Still sitting on his armchair, Tiger parrots his partner in a joking way when he thinks the other is not looking at him. Unfortunately for him, Barnaby notices it, and he glares at Tiger while he’s sitting down.

Now next to each other, the veteran hero pokes his partner’s arm. “Hey, we were waiting for you, superstar.”

“Please, stop.”

Mario clears his throat. “Welcome back, Barnaby! Your fans missed you!”

“Thank you. I missed you all as well.”

“As you can see, our official tag is already getting filled with questions for you!”

Barnaby smiles again. It’s the usual, studied smile he always shows in front of the cameras. “I’m ready to answer anything my fans wish to know. After two weeks, I owe them.” He turns to the public and blinks.

The girls squeal.

 _Man, he’s good._ “That was a pretty long vacation for your standards, wasn’t it? If we don’t count your retirement, you have never been away from the field for so long.”

“Indeed.” As usual, Barnaby is very composed as he speaks. “It was the first time for me, and it will probably be the last.”

“So, let’s start to read some questions… @redbunny writes: ‘Barnaby, your skin is always perfect! You look a little tanned tonight, did you sunbathe on vacation?’”

“Thank you, @redbunny,” Barnaby says with his polite tone. “Yes, I did. Of course, I never forgot to take care of my skin. Since I was in a very hot place, I brought with me a bag full of lotion bottles.”

“An entire bag?” Mario opens his arms. “As expected from Barnaby! Were they all sunscreens?”

“No, there were my regular skincare lotions too, and a few after-sun creams, just in case.”

“Just in case you forgot to put sunscreen on?”

“Oh, no, I would never make an elementary mistake like that.” His eyes meet the camera in front of him. “Unfortunately, even if lotion is highly recommended in certain places, there’s always someone who ignores the warnings and decides to ‘listen to their gut’ instead.”

 _Oh?_ “I see,” Mario nods. “So you brought after-sun cream because you knew someone was going to need it? That’s the way a true hero thinks! Don’t you agree, Tiger?”

The veteran hero rolls his eyes. “Yeah, yeah…”

Mario notices that the fans’ posts are increasing quickly, but before he can go back to read them, his eyes catch Barnaby’s fingers for the first time.

_What the…?!_

The young hero has placed his left elbow on the armrest and lifted his hand to place his cheek on his knuckles. That’s how the announcer notices the golden band shining on Barnaby’s ring finger.

Mario needs to think fast. While a ring on Wild Tiger’s finger isn’t going to do much for the ratings, a ring on _the_ Barnaby Brooks Jr. is a completely different story. The announcer swallows. _We’re talking about a celebrity who is still in the top 5 of the ‘Man I want to sleep with’ poll._ A wedding band isn’t something they can just ignore in his case, as it implies that there might indeed be someone who gets to see Barnaby Brooks Jr. naked in bed. “Barnaby, I think everyone has noticed by now… Let’s see, @herofangirl51 is just one of the many fans who asks: ‘Are you wearing a wedding band?’”

Barnaby smiles. “My fans have very sharp eyes, haven’t they?” he says, his head still leaning on his left hand. “Indeed, I am wearing a wedding band.”

 _What? Is it really happening?_ Mario wonders what he should say. _Now that I think about it, it could be just a promotional item._ He feels disappointed. That wouldn’t be the big scoop he expected. _But it’d explain why Tiger is also wearing a similar ring. They’re probably doing a new commercial together._ “Hero TV tag is getting so many questions it’s hard to read! You two really have lots of fans! Let’s see, @longears_ writes: ‘Barnaby, are you promoting a new jewelry line or did you get married for real?’ I think this is something everyone would love to know! Especially your female fans!” Mario looks at the audience, where several girls are nodding.

Barnaby keeps his usual smile, unfazed. “This is my actual wedding band. I got married.”

“Whoa!” Mario can’t contain himself. In the screen behind the heroes, the tag is getting crazy. “This is really unexpected! But also exciting good news! Barnaby Brooks Jr. got married! Congratulations to our beloved hero!”

He claps, and the audience also applauds loudly. The social media posts are full of ‘Congrats!’ and festive emojis, with the occasional ‘Noooooo!’ from some of the girls. _Well, I guess it can’t be helped._

The reaction that surprises Mario the most, however, is Wild Tiger’s. The hero’s eyes are wide open behind his mask, staring at his partner with an astonished expression.

When the audience finally stops cheering, Mario speaks again. “Wild Tiger, you look as surprised as the rest of us! Don’t tell me your partner didn’t inform you that he was getting married!”

“Um, er…” Tiger rubs the back of his neck, once again looking unsure about what to say.

“He knew, of course,” Barnaby replies for him, as calm as always. “He’s merely surprised because he didn’t expect me to announce it in public tonight. I’ve gone against the plan.”

“Oh. What an incredible admission!” Mario feels excited. “So nobody in Apollon Media knew you were going to talk about your wedding?”

“That’s correct.” Barnaby places both of his hands on the sides of his armchair. “To be fair, I also didn’t know myself until I stepped inside the studio.”

“Bunny…” Tiger pokes him again, but this time his face is serious. “You sure about this?”

Barnaby smiles at him and nods. Tiger smiles back.

“We’re getting flooded with questions from your fans!” Mario continues. “It’s hard to keep track… So… @lilrabbit4ever asks: ‘Hey, Barnaby, was Tiger your best man?’”

“No, he wasn’t,” Barnaby answers.

Mario is disappointed. That would have been a very nice excuse to talk about their close partnership. “But he attended your wedding, right?”

Barnaby glances at his partner. “Yes, I’m pretty sure he was there.”

Tiger chuckles. “Yeah, I couldn’t exactly miss it.”

“Of course.” Mario looks at the camera. “As you can see, Wild Tiger would never miss his partner’s most important day!” He turns to face Barnaby again. “However, looking at the reactions live, it seems some of your female fans are sad to know you’re officially a taken man!”

“I’m sorry.” Barnaby shows again one of his best fake smiles to the cameras. “I know some of you are disappointed, but the person I married makes me incredibly happy, so I hope you’ll be happy for me as well.”

“Naturally, I’m sure everyone is happy for you now!” Mario reads the posts from his tablet, and he can see that he was a little too optimistic. “Well, _almost_ everyone! Is there anything else you’d like to tell the most disappointed ladies?”

Barnaby keeps the same unperturbed face. “I’m gay.”

For a moment, Mario thinks he hasn’t heard well. The posts on the screen, however, make clear this is exactly what he’s said. “Really?”

“Yes.”

 _Did he just…? Did Barnaby Brooks Jr. just come out during my show?!_ For a moment, Mario doesn’t know what to say. He certainly doesn’t need to worry about tonight’s ratings. “Oh, well, so… That’s also news to us! Congratulations again! Your husband must feel the luckiest man in Sternbild, right?”

Barnaby shows an amused smile as he fixes his glasses with a finger. “In a sense, I suppose he is.”

“And he’s also really cool!” Tiger speaks with a grin on his face.

His partner lifts an eyebrow. “Now, that’s an exaggeration.”

“What?! This isn’t something you should say about the person you married!”

“I didn’t marry him because I thought he was cool.”

“Hey, Bunny, that’s mean…”

Barnaby looks like he’s desperately trying not to sigh. “Why would that be mean? I’m just saying there are more important things to me than looking cool.”

Dozens of new posts are filling the tag. Mario skims them, trying to find the right one to read, but he’s not ready to what’s about to happen next.

Sometimes, you need to remember you live in a city like Sternbild, where days and nights can always bring something unexpected.

🐯🐰

_‘Dear Tiger & Barnaby, you two totally married each other, right??????’_

_‘Hello Barnaby, I’m a huge fan! Tell us the truth: were you on your honeymoon with your partner?’_

_‘I think some fans are getting the wrong idea_ 😑 _Just because you’re both wearing a ring it doesn’t mean you married each other! We know Tiger isn’t gay.’_

_‘OMG Mario, open your fucking eyes!!!! Tiger couldn’t be his best man because he was the groom!!! Isn’t that obvious?!’_

_‘Hello Tiger, hello Barnaby! This is just a joke, right? I bet you didn’t actually marry each other, you just went on vacation together! It’s funny though, I laughed a lot!’_

_‘WTF I hate that someone thinks it’s a joke! Barnaby wouldn’t joke about something so important!’_

_‘To be honest, as a woman I wish he had told us sooner he was gay… If I had known, I wouldn’t have flirted with him when we met…’_

_‘To be honest, as a man I wish he had told us sooner he was gay… If I had known, I would have flirted with him when we met…’_

_‘Awwww, this is so cute!!! Like a fairy tale!! Remember that the day they met Barnaby carried Tiger like a princess in his arms?? It was fate!!!_ ❤️❤️❤️ _’_

_‘I think everyone is reading too much into this. Barnaby wouldn’t lie about being gay, but it’s obvious his husband isn’t Tiger. Why would Barnaby marry an old man who only lasts one minute? LOL If I were his husband, though, I think I’d be jealous of Tiger… Sometimes they look a little too close to be just friends…’_

_‘Tiger’s talking about himself in third person LMAO’_

_‘At this point I think they’re just trolling us’_

_‘I’m sure there’s an explanation for this, their sponsors wouldn’t let them come out as gay without a plan’_

_‘Why can’t you all just accept that they’re married???’_

_‘I won’t believe it until they say it explicitly’_

_‘Jeez, straight people…’_

_‘What the hell is going on now???’_

_‘WTFFFFFFFFFF’_

_‘Aaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!’_

_‘Heroes in action!!’_

_‘Go Tiger & Barnaby!!!!’_

🐯🐰

Someone in the audience screams. It’s a young girl, about ten years old, and her body is glowing blue. “Sis, help!”

As her NEXT power activates, Mario sees her floating in the air. A teenager who was sitting close to her – presumably her sister – is trying to keep her down, but the two of them end up levitating to the high ceiling of the studio.

“This is an unexpected turnout of events!” Mario says in a loud voice. “A child in the audience is a NEXT who can’t control her powers! People around her are starting to float! Will they be all right?”

Several screams follow, and everyone who was sitting close to the kid is twirling up.

It happens in a few seconds. Tiger and Barnaby exchange a glance and activate their Hundred Power.

“Everyone’s favorite duo, Tiger & Barnaby, is ready to help!” Mario hides behind his desk, but keeps his eyes on the action. “Barnaby is jumping high to grab the floating civilians and bring them out of the studio, while Tiger has reached the young NEXT and is now trying to talk to her!”

It looks like the child’s power only has a certain range, so as Tiger manages to move the girl down and close to a corner, most of the people stop floating. Barnaby helps them not to fall and shows them the way to exit.

“The girl isn’t glowing anymore! Did Tiger convince her to stop using her powers?!”

While the last few people are leaving the studio, Tiger places his hand on the little kid’s head. “It’s all right now. It can take some time to learn how to control it, but I’m sure everything will be fine after you rest a little. Now you and your sister should probably go home.”

Next to her, the teenager hugs the child. “Wild Tiger is right. Don’t worry, I’ll help you.” She smiles at the hero. “Thank you.”

Tiger opens his mouth to say something, but the younger girl interrupts him. “My lil’ bunny!” She points at the chandelier high up. “I had it on my lap before!”

“It looks like everyone is safe for now,” Mario says for the audience on TV. “However, the girl’s pink rabbit plush is trapped in the chandelier! But here he is: Wild Tiger, ready to jump high and get it back!”

Tiger is already at the top of the high ceiling when Mario ends his sentence, the little stuffed bunny in his hands. However, this is when – as Mario feared – everything goes wrong.

“Wild Tiger is out of time! One minute has passed and he can’t use his power anymore! He’s falling!”

“Daah! Not now!” Despite the situation, Tiger is still holding the plush in his hands.

_This is bad! Unless…_

Mario feels relieved as he spots the glowing blue figure jumping in Tiger’s direction. “Barnaby has come back to save his partner! He’s carrying him in his arms, for the first time without his hero suit on!”

When Barnaby lands on the corridor between the empty seats of the audience, the two girls run towards him.

“Thank you!” The NEXT child says as Tiger – still in his partner’s arms – gives her her plush back. “And… I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Tiger grins and stands in front of her. “As I told you before, you should go home and rest.” He looks at the older girl. “And you, take care of your sister, okay?”

The teenager nods. “I promise!”

The kids thank Barnaby as well, both blushing when they talk to him – _Well, I guess it’s clear who they have a celebrity crush on_ – and leave the studio.

“This was certainly a thrilling welcome back for our heroes!” Mario says in front of the camera. “But when it comes to Tiger & Barnaby, nothing suits them more!”

He can picture Sternbild citizens celebrating behind the screen.

Meanwhile, from the part of the studio where the girls have just gone, Barnaby is glaring at his partner. “You almost died.”

Mario can barely hear them, so he decides to walk closer.

“Hey, now, Bunny… You know I don’t die that easily.”

“How many times do I have to tell you? Think before doing anything reckless!”

Tiger pouts. “I wasn’t reckless!”

“You almost died to rescue a toy, how is that not reckless?!”

“That girl was upset! She needed to calm down to control her power, you know how it works.” Tiger crosses his arms. “Also, it was a Barnaby-bunny plush. I can see why she wanted it back. It’s very cute, unlike you.” Despite his words, his tone doesn’t sound serious.

Barnaby leans closer. “Oh, really? Is it the way to thank the man who just saved your life?”

Tiger sighs. “Fine, fine. Thank you,” he murmurs.

Mario has almost reached them, ready for an interview about the accident.

This is when he stops, and his jaw slides open.

What he sees – what millions of Sternbild citizens see – is Barnaby Brooks Jr. pulling Wild Tiger’s tie and pressing their lips together.

_Oh Goddess of Justice._

For an instant, Tiger remains stiff. However, a second later he’s already placing his hands on Barnaby’s cheeks and kissing him back.

Their golden bands shine in the light of the chandelier, and Mario is suddenly aware that there is only one meaning those rings can have, and he should definitely have _‘opened his fucking eyes’_ like that fan’s post suggested.

Well, he might feel like an idiot right now, but he doesn’t care: the ratings are going to be stellar.

When the two heroes separate, the commercials start.

Off air, Barnaby turns to look at Mario, a genuine smile on his face. “I hope this answers all the questions.”

“Well, it definitely explains a lot,” the announcer says, smiling back. “Congratulations, this time to the both of you. I’m sorry I didn’t figure it out sooner, I’m surprised I wasn’t informed of your wedding.”

“Heh, this was supposed to be a secret,” Tiger says, rubbing the back of his head. “And I promise this time I didn’t screw up! Bunny did!” He points at his partner.

Barnaby takes a long breath. “You always wanted to tell the truth in the first place, so don’t be mad now.”

Even with his mask, Mario can tell that Tiger is frowning. “I’m not mad, I just don’t get it! Last night you made me promise not to say anything, and then you came here, showed your ring on purpose and told everyone you got married to a guy!”

“I know.” Tiger’s partner – _husband_ , Mario needs time to get used to it – looks away. “I believed that waiting for what our sponsors, Mr. Lloyds and Ms. Agnes were planning was the best choice; this is why I made you promise not to say anything. However, the moment I saw you here tonight, I…” He pauses. “I changed my mind.”

“Huh?” Tiger places a hand on Barnaby’s shoulder, trying to meet his eyes. He looks amused, but also curious. “And what was the logical reasoning behind your last-minute decision?”

Barnaby pushes slightly the other’s arm away. “There wasn’t one. It was… just a gut feeling.”

Mario doesn’t remember the last time he saw Wild Tiger looking so overjoyed; the hero clings to his husband, laughing like a child. “What? Say it again!”

“Huh? Are you getting too senile to hear me, old man?”

“Yeah, whatever. Say it again!” Tiger hugs him tightly.

“Kotetsu,” Barnaby hisses. His cheeks are red. “Stop it, we might go on air soon.”

Tiger smiles. “So what? It’s me your fangirls are gonna hate anyway.”

“Try to act more professional.”

“Says the guy who just kissed me live.”

“Th-That had a purpose.”

“A purpose? So it was just about your public image and you didn’t actually like it?”

“I never said that.”

Tiger breaks the hug. “Okay, okay. But as a punishment for making your dear husband worry that you didn’t like him, you’ll have to wear your matching pin next time we have an interview.”

“Not happening.”

“You will!”

“I want a divorce.”

“Jeez, you brat…!”

Mario watches the two bickering, and suddenly everything is clear.

He understands why Tiger & Barnaby were happy to be partners even when it meant to stay in the Second League.

He understands why they didn’t want to be heroes alone anymore.

He understands why Golden Ryan didn’t want to be part of their partnership – he couldn’t get involved with what Tiger & Barnaby had, because it was a lot more than being a team to fight crime.

Mario looks at the big screen behind him. The heroes’ fans are still posting questions in the tag, and it looks like they’re not going to stop anytime soon.

He smiles.

They will have other opportunities. After all, this is a _Hero TV Special_ episode nobody is going to forget.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this story! Comments are always appreciated!
> 
> If you'd like to interact more with me, feel free to follow me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/EdgeworthSmile) ^_^


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